I have produced exactly one movie, so far, but I still get lots of movie pitches and screenplays.  I don’t mind them, actually, because I’m sure I will stick my toe in the water again soon when the right project comes along.

But writing about Paranormal Activity yesterday reminded me of one of those pitches I just got a few days ago for an indie-horror movie.

“You into movies, Ken?  Because I’ve got one for you.”

“Oh yeah?  What is it?  What’s it about?”

“I’m telling you.  This is the next Paranormal Activity!“

And that’s when, believe it or not, I checked out.

Believe me, I understand the importance of framing, and giving your potential buyer something familiar to sink his/her teeth into . . . but that’s not what this person was doing.  This person was baiting me with financial success.  Ok, I sorta get that too . . . but it wasn’t what I asked.  And if you think I got into this business for financial success, you’ve been riding on the crazy train for a little too long.  Sure, Producers hope for financial success (usually so we can produce riskier stuff in the future), but it’s not why we do it.

And more importantly, and this is the point of this blog . . . do you know how many people have approached me with . . . “I have the next Stomp!  I have the next Blue Man Group!  I have the next Book of Mormon, Les Miserables . . . even . . . I have the next Altar Boyz!”

You know what all those shows, and any of Broadway’s biggest hits, have in common?

They are all unique.

So stop trying to be someone else’s show, and just try to be your own.

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